


evening talk

by Okumen



Category: Ginyuu Mokushiroku Meine Liebe | Meine Liebe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 11:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8160905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okumen/pseuds/Okumen
Summary: Eduard keeps tugging on Ludwig's sleeve, for some inexplicable reason.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was caused by a conversation about Lui's pajama sleeves that I had with my sister [Frejr](http://archiveofourown.org/users/space_lace).

Ludwig was trying to read. _Trying_ being the keyword. He prided himself in being able to pretend as if he was not taking any note of what was happening around him in terms of activities and people's conversations while secretly paying plenty attention when he thought there was need for it. Normally, he was also fairly skilled at ignoring the antics of his more annoying friends when said friends were up to somthing that was not of any importance to him.

However, it was proving to be a bit difficult to do so at the moment. Because Eduard, sitting beside him on one of the chairs by his table, was constantly picking at the cuff of his sleeve.

From the start, Eduard had, together with Camus and Naoji, joined him for tea in the evening while Orperus was visiting family in preparation for his grandmother's birthday celebration. Apparently they had needed the help of the blond for some thing or the other, and Eduard had the habit of seeking company wherever he could find it whenever he felt like he needed it or simply felt as if he wanted it, which was fairly often. Camus had retreated to his room to sleep a while back, and Naoji had also bid goodnight, as he was going to be up early as usual in the morning. Eduard, on the other hand, had with permission from no one but himself, ransacked Ludwig's bookshelves and found a novel that had been loaned to him by his younger brother, because the boy wanted to discuss it with him the next time he returned home.

Unfortunately it was a book on the topic of adventures, and thus Eduard was captivated. Although it was not surprising that the other lad had read _Robinson Crusoe_ before, it was not a novel that Ludwig had yet got around to read. But he was not scheduled to return to his family's estate yet, and he was a fast reader, so it was nothing that worried him.

Except the part where, possibly in a lull in the story or at parts which were less caprivating than others, Eduard's attention shifted to Ludwig's sleeves.

As Ludwig was attempting to read a freshly imported issue of the _Science News Letter_ , despite the company (he would not have minded if he had been left to himself) he could not focus entirely. He would not have minded Eduard sticking around if he had been left to read in peace, because if he actually wished to discuss some of the topics within the American imported magazine, Eduard was not as averse to controversial topics as others might be. And if Eduard were to read over his shoulder - which was both plausible and something that had occured on previous occasions (sometimes he had even found Eduard having borrowed an issue once in a while) - there would not be any objections to what was brought up in the magazine. Some people, a lot of people, did take issue with a lot of the new discoveries that were brought up in some of the magazines that Ludwig read, particularly those who were more conservative or religious.

Eventually, he was forced to stop his attempts at ignoring the other boy, and he turned his gaze toward him with a slow but somewhat irritated look. "Can I help you with something, Eduard?" he asked coolly, and Eduard hummed, not saying anything at first, but continuing to play around with the jagged edges of Ludwig's sleeve cuffs. "Eduard," Ludwig urged. He did have a lot of patience for many a thing, but he wanted to be able to engross himself in this article titled _The reducing powers of physiologically important carbohydrates_. When Eduard did not react, he sighed. "I had intended to have you read the article about the Paint Creek meteorite once I finished, however I believe that I will refrain from it," he said. Instantly, Eduard stopped picking at the sleeve, and he had clearly finally caught Eduard's attention. It sometimes helped to bring up topics that could catch his interest, he had noticed with time. Unfortunatley it was a technique he had first noticed utilized by Orpherus, but some things could not be helped.

"Now that I have your attention," he spoke, pale purple eyes locking with Eduard's forest greens. "I would like to inquire as to why you are unable to keep your hands to yourself." Eduard sucked his lips into his mouth for a few moments. A very undignified expression but the boy seemed to be incapable to learn to stay dignified at all times, despite being an aristocrat. Perhaps it was his commoner blood making it harder for him, or perhaps it simply was due to Eduard's personality. "Weeeell," Eduard looked as if he was dragging out the word more due to wondering in what way he might phrase himself rather than due to wondering if he should tell or not. "It's just, it's cute." Ludwig really thought that he should have given his choice of words a little bit more thought. For a few surprised moments, he simply stared at Eduard. "Cute?" he then repeated. He could not see where Eduard was going with this at all. Or _if_ he was going anywhere with it. "Do you have a Rapunzel theme going?"

Unfortunately for the both of them, the question only served to confuse Ludwig even further. "Pardon?"

"A Rapunzel theme," Eduard repeated. "With the long hair and the sleeves and other stuff." He said it as if he was explaining what he was talking to without leaving out a single piece of information, but Ludwig could not see his logic.

He placed down the _Science News_ , and pried Ed's fingers from his sleeve. It wasn't very hard, but he did not want to accidentally tear the sleeve in any way. "I do not see your point and I doubt that I will, as I am sure that it only makes sense to you," he pointed out. "Now if you could let me read in peace. I do not care if you stay to read my brother's book, or if you leave, or do something else, as long as I am allowed to finish these articles without any further disturbances." Eduard huffed an amused huff, and stretched way too far back in the chair for Ludwig's like. "You could just say 'shut up and cut it out,' instead of being so longwinded," he said with a chuckle. Ludwig raised an eyebrow. Needless to say, there was no way that he would talk any other way than he did. "Alright then!" Eduard glanced at the page number in the book he was reading, and then closed it. Ludwig assumed that he had memorized the page so that he could continue reading it at a later time. Perhaps he was leaving. "I'll borrow your bed for a nap then." Apparently he was not leaving, then. "If you wake me up when you're done I can read any article you'd like me to read."

Eduard wandered off and Ludwig decided to simply let him do what he felt like. He might also point out a couple of the other articles, some which he would not enjoy as much but probably could give some interesting input on. As he turned his eyes back to the pages, he heard Eduard drop down onto the bed, and he sighed to himself as he settled down.

It seemed as if he might need to remake the bed before he went to sleep tonight. Eduard had better provide some entertaining thoughts, in that case.

**Author's Note:**

> The Science News issue that ludwig is reading is 26 april 1935, [vol. 81, issue 2104](http://science.sciencemag.org/content/81/2104).


End file.
